FRUIT. CAPITAL AND LABOUR. THE CANNING INDUSTRY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 60, 8 September 1909, Page 3

FRUIT. CAPITAL AND LABOUR. THE CANNING INDUSTRY.

An interesting paper on ths subject of fruit supply was read by Mr. A. Tocman, an Auckland delegate, at the mosting of the New Zealand Fruit Brokers' Association yesterday afternoon. This was tho only occasion on which the proceedings were open to the press. It was with great pleasure, said Mr. Tooman, that they noted the greatly increased consumption of fruit from year to year, as compared with the old days, when, an extra cartload would glut the market. The Auckland fruit crop for the year just past was a record one. Thero was a very large increase in the supply of late varieties of apples, since growers had, for come time past, been planting late series. He anticipated that in the near future late apples would sell at lower rates than woufd be obtainable for mid-season's crops. ' He was firmly of opinion that the time had arrived when growers should give attention to the apple export trade. As to pears, he regretted that the supply had not increased sufficiently to meat the increased demand, with the result that prices for the best kinds had been higher than in former years. Peaches were an exceptionally good crop, and he was in hopes that they would in future have a considerable surplus for canning purposes. On the subject of grapes, Mr. Tooman Eaid he was sorry to gay that this branch of the industry was in a bad way, and the outlook was rather gloomy. Large areas of outdoor grapes had been planted in the North during the pact years, and the supply was already far in excess of the 'profitable demand for dessert, purposes ; and there appeared to be littla hope of securing satisfactory means of disposing of wines —an industry which offered very large inducements to growers. There being no win? factories to absorb J>ho surplus, itmust go to waste . When the prohibition was removed from Australian grapes, they feared a complete glut, which had not been the case so far as Auckland was concerned. "Grapes with us have beei. so cheap," he remarked, "that not v single case of imported grapes arrived in Auckland to my knowledge this season, and had they done so they would not have realised more than tha cost of treight and duty." Dealing with the subject of canned fruits, Mr. Tooman said that, given a fair run for a few years, he saw no i reason why the importation of canned fruits into the Dominion should not be a thing of the past. Satisfactory strides had been made of late, particularly in Hawkes Bay, and Auckland had also packed a fair quantity, but he was eorry to say that his own district, which should be foremost, was really behind the other fruit-growing centres in that branch. The fruits required in tins were chiefly pears, peaches, apricots, and a modeate quantity of opples. In order to make the industry a success, it was necessary that only the most suitable varieties should be grown for that special purpose. Some growers were, of opinion that anything was good enough for tins, but that was a serious mistake. Only the best and most suitable fruit must be put up, in order to enable them to compete with the imported article. To eventually take its place with the steady increase of local canning one wuld have expected to find a decline in the quantity of imported, but it had been the reverse this season, partly due to the unusually low prices of Californian canned and dried fruits, owing to the exceptional crops and a- splendid season, coupled with stringency in the world's money markets. He was sorry to say that the local canned pears would not at present sell against (Jaliforniaa, for the reason that the local people were packing the wrong varieties, which, although of fairly good quality, turned out a pinky colour as against the Californian Bartlett or Bon Chretien, which were white. To make the industry a success, capital was required, and also labour, and, unfortunately, the whole load was carried by the producer, since labour frightened capital out, as it was doing in every industry in the Dominion. The labour question was practically the only obstacle in the way of the industry. He did not' think that New Zealand would ever have a profitable export outlet for canned fruits, as it could not be expected they would be able to compete in other markets with •countries which held such great advantages. On the subject of dried fruits, Mr. Tooman said that in removing the duty it was easily seen that those responsible consideHad the interests of the city labour unionist to the detriment of the hard-worked tiller of the soil. He was firmly of opinion that ail duties on dried fruits should be replaced. The conference unanimously accorded Mr. Tooman a hearty vote of thanks for his interesting paper.